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These irons follow the path from Diamond to Radiant to Sun Flame to Sure Flame to Even Heat. They all came right after each other using similar patents.
The Akron Gas Lamp Company was founded in 1898 by Jay C. Steese. In 1918 they shortened their name to the Akron Lamp Company. In the early 1920's they changed their name to Akron Lamp & Manufacturing Company. In the mid 1940's Akron rebranded themselves to become Radiant Products Incorporated of Akron, Ohio. In 1948 the company was acquired by Sun Flame Appliances Ltd. of Ridgefield, New Jersey. In 1949 Sun Flame closed Akron Lamp.
This iron was most likely made by Enterprise Tool & Metal Works for The Akron Lamp Company in the later 1910's. Much like Monitor Sad Iron Company making Coleman's 1st irons, Enterprise Tool appears to have done the same for Akron Lamp. This iron is identical to the Hydrocarbon E-Z Sad Iron except for the embossing on the top plate.
The date stamp on this iron of Oct. 27, 1914 is of the patent #1,114,916 by Frank Rosengren, assignee to Enterprise Tool & Metal Works, which pictures this same iron body, similar burner, and same handle type, but is a natural gas iron.
Top view of the first Diamond badged iron. Has the Enterprise Tool & Metal Works patent date of Oct. 27, 1914 on it.
This Diamond Self Heating Iron is the first model iron manufactured by the Akron Lamp Company of Akron, Ohio. This is their model 2 iron that can run on either kerosene or gasoline depending on the generator tip installed - oval tip for gasoline or square tip for kerosene. The gasoline iron is model 2-G and kerosene iron is model 2-K. This iron was made in the early 1920's.
Top view of Akron Diamond iron early model 2.
Model 2 Diamond Iron by the Akron Lamp Company.
Top view of Diamond iron. This is an early model 2 iron as it says "PAT. APPLD. FOR."
The trivet that came with this iron is 1/4" thick asbestos sheet.
Akron Diamond fuel cans and pumps.
A Model 2 iron made for Montgomery Ward of Chicago, the Wards Self Heating Iron. This one has the iron info engraved on the base of the handle.
Top view of Wards Self Heating Iron.
Front of the handle of the above Wards iron. "14-RA-86-355B" is shown.
Another model 2 iron made for Montgomery Ward. Original pump, trivet and funnel are pictured. Directions are on a decal on the tank.
Top view of Montgomery Ward iron. Top of the filler cap says "Montgomery Ward Chicago".
Akron Diamond iron patent.
Akron model 2 iron parts diagram. It is identical to the Model 4 iron.
Akron Model 4 iron parts diagram.
Akron iron made for Montgomery Ward of Chicago. Has "Montgomery Ward" on the filler cap.
Other side view of Montgomery Ward Akron iron.
This Akron iron has a revised body and the edge of the top plate is now rolled and is no longer a sharp edge. This is another one made for Montgomery Ward.
Tank cap of Akron iron made for Montgomery Ward.
Akron Lamp made this Ward's Self Heating Iron. This iron has a black porcelain enameled body.
Top view of Wards Self Heating Iron.
Model 4 Akron "Diamond" iron. This version iron has some changes made to the body. It also shows that Akron changed their name from The Akron Lamp Company to The Akron Lamp & Manufacturing Company.
Top view of the Diamond iron.
Similar Akron iron to the one above but with the iron information engraved in the handle base versus being on a tag.
Top view of Diamond iron.
This Akron early model 7 iron was made around 1936. It has "PAT. APP'D FOR" on the handle/tank support. No other info is on this iron. This iron uses an external pump for pressurizing the tank. This iron does not have a tip cleaner.
Other side view of early model 7 iron showing no tip cleaner.
Another early Model 7 iron without a built-in pump or a tip cleaner, and with a revised lighting hole.
Other side view of the early model 7 iron This one has a change to the lighting hole, which is the design of all future Akron irons.
Top view of the above early Akron model 7 iron with only "PAT. APP'D FOR" on it.
Hoff Patent for the above Akron Lamp iron.
Early model 7 Diamond Self-Heating Iron with built-in pump and tip cleaner. Built-in pump has a different knob than the later model 7 irons.
Top view of early model 7 Diamond Self-Heating Iron showing warnings on the tag on the base of the handle. Also has the patent date and patent number on it.
Another Akron Diamond model 7 iron. This one has a built-in pump in the handle and a tip cleaner knob. Model 7 and model 9 are distinguishable by model 7 having a knob for the tip cleaner and model 9 having a lever for the tip cleaner.
Top view of Akron Diamond iron showing the iron info engraved in the top plate.
3 of the early Akron model 7 irons side-by-side comparison. Left one is earliest without a built-in pump or tip cleaner. Middle one has a different pump knob and different info on the data tag. Right one is the newest version.
Akron model 7 iron made for Montgomery Ward.
Top view of Montgomery Ward's iron made by Akron Lamp.
Akron Model No. 7 iron parts diagram.
Akron Model No. 9 iron parts diagram.
Akron model 9 iron with a burgandy painted tank.
Top view of Diamond Iron model 9.
Akron model 9 iron made for Sears. Sears model 371.5853.
Top view Top view of Maid of Honor iron by Akron Lamp.
Radiant model R-9-G iron. All of the Akron Lamp irons were badged Radiant going forward. These Radiants have the number 19-4203 stamped on the inside of the front handle support.
Top view of Radiant Iron.
Another model 9 Radiant iron is the same as the Radiant above except with a different handle color.
Top view of Radiant iron.
This Sun Flame Model No. 250 iron is the first iron produced under the Sun Flame Appliances Ltd. of Ridgefield, New Jersey ownership after they acquired Akron Lamp in 1948.
Other side view of Sun Flame iron.
Sun Flame iron top view showing that this iron was made by Sun Flame Appliances Ltd. under the Akron patent of Dec. 22, 1936.
This Sure Flame iron is a transiton iron from the Sun Flame label to the Sure Flame label. This iron was made under the Akron patent of 1936 and is not in my collection.
Top view of Sure Flame iron.
Sure Flame box.
An early Sure Flame model No. 255 iron made under the Sun Flame Appliances ownership. This iron can operate on either gasoline or kerosene.
Unlike the other Sure Flame irons, this one does not say "Made in U.S.A.".
The instruction sheet that came with this Sure Flame iron is entirely in Spanish.
The back side of the instruction sheet for this Sure Flame iron has a parts list and says "Sure Flame Appliance of Germany".
Another Sure Flame iron model No. 255 made under Sun Flame Appliances ownership. This iron is from the mid 1950's.
Top view of Sure Flame model No. 255 iron.
An Even Heat iron model 9100 made by the EvenHeat Corporation of Fredericksburg, Ohio.
Top view of Even Heat iron.
Another Even Heat iron but this one is lacking the air hole on the handle base.
Rear view of the Even Heat model 9100 iron.
This iron is the same Even Heat as the one above but with a teflon coated sole.
On a fun note . . . this teflon coated sole plate on this iron would make it ideal for making grilled cheese sandwiches. (You never know until you try).
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